14 Facts About Laura Balbo

Laura Balbo was born on Padua, 30 November 1933 and is an Italian sociologist and politician.

Laura Balbo has held visiting roles at Harvard University and the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Laura Balbo has served in the Italian Parliament, including holding cabinet positions under Massimo D'Alema between 1998 and 2000.

Laura Balbo graduated from the University of Padua in 1956 with a degree in sociology.

Laura Balbo then went to the University of California, Berkeley as a Fulbright Scholar, returned to Italy and taught sociology at the University of Milan.

Laura Balbo was appointed professor at the university in 1968 and was later dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Ferrara.

Laura Balbo's work covers racism, urbanization, family policies and the welfare state.

Laura Balbo has a particular interest in women in society and coined the term double presence to describe the way that women have a responsibility to both private, family life and the public world of work.

Laura Balbo was Senior Fulbright Fellow at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, visiting scholar at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study and visiting associate professor at the University of California, Berkeley and Santa Cruz.

Laura Balbo took leave from her university career and ran for parliament, gaining her first seat in 1983.

Laura Balbo remained in parliament until 1992 as an independent and later as part of Sinistra indipendente.

Laura Balbo was asked by Massimo D'Alema to take on the role of Minister for Equal Opportunities from 1998 to 2000.

Laura Balbo worked to strengthen women's representation in politics and improve female employment, including organising the first national conference on female employment in Naples in January 2000, opened by President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi.

Laura Balbo has worked as a consultant for the European Office of the World Health Organization in Copenhagen and UNESCO, led the and chaired the International Association for the Study of Racism, based in Amsterdam.